Archive for April, 2011
Last week’s look at the use of green for your interior decor ended with an image that showed pendant lamps suspended from a large bent branch. This got me thinking about some of the different ways we can bring nature into our living spaces. If you happen to live in a lovely area with windows that bring that beautiful view inside, that may not be as important to you. But items in a natural or semi-natural state can provide a beautiful foil for light, minimal spaces or for the hard lines of many common furnishings.
There are quite a few choices when it comes to adding the natural world to your interior space. Many times this can be achieved solely through material choices – wood floors and stone walls would be standard. But we can also bring the outside in with smaller gestures like grabbing a fallen branch and using it as wall art or standing it in a vase. These can be left raw or painted to emphasize their irregular shape. We can collect rocks from pebble to boulder size and use them to create a juxtaposition with the smoother surfaces of our home. Fallen logs can be used as is, or gently milled to provide an eating or working surface. Seed pods, bird nests, anything you find on a hike can be a great addition, even if it sits nestled on a shelf between stacks of books. This doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, but can be a quick rest for the eye. My family has collected rocks and driftwood for years, piling stones on the hearth, and filling tall glass cylinders with sticks of many sizes. They’re great to touch and serve as a gentle reminder of the outdoors as well as past memories.
(above) Branch over Bed
River Rocks and Smaller Stones + Boulder at Entry
Outdoors on the Mantle + Painted Twigs
Sawn Trunk Counter + Shaped Wood Stool
Last week, Dia from Alice in Designland shared a mini house tour of our humble home on her blog. And I just wanted to thank her again for asking me to be a part of what she is doing. Dia has been featured some really inspiring homes lately. And I would highly recommend you check it out.
Oh, and if you’d like to know my number one tip for decorating on a budget, how I describe my design style and more, click here to read the article and check out our home.
Guest post by Mai of Woodland Belle, as part of a three part (three day) series.
Running a business isn’t merely about making and selling a product. We are dealing with people, and people are complicated. We are engaging in emotions—pride, insecurities, secret motivations—not just their wallets. In order to have a successful, prosperous business, you need the power to influence people. You need skills to communicate effectively, appeal to people’s wants and desires, as well as to mitigate conflicts. Persuading people to like you (and what you do!) will take you far in life—not only will it work with customers and other business connections, but with everyone you know.
PART TWO (read part one of this series here)
Finding out what motivates people–what they desire most, is key to getting past their outer defenses. So we must discover… what motivates people?
In part one of this series, we took a look at how the desire for importance influences our decisions and how to utilize this desire to your advantage. In part two of this series, we will explore the second top motivator:
2. We want to be heard and listened to.
We want a friendly, sympathetic listener to whom we can unburden ourselves.
Key Communication Tips
* So, be an excellent, attentive listener. Do not interrupt–listen. Don’t think about what you are going to say next. See things from that person’s perspective. Govern what you say by what you would want to hear if you were the listener.
*Express sympathy; we crave it.
* No one is interested in your concerns. People are mainly interested in their own concerns, and how something will affect them. So, don’t ramble on about yourself or things that don’t relate to or affect the other person. The other person may nod and try to appear like they care, but most of us are wearied by such talk.
* Care about what others want. Become genuinely interested in others. All of us can’t help but like a person who admires us.
* To be interesting, be interested. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Business Tie-Ins
* These tips are particularly beneficial when handling customer service. If someone comes to you with a question, request, complaint, or other issue, govern your response by what you yourself would like to hear if you were in their situation. Always be kind and courteous, even if it’s difficult (and trust me, there will be times when you’d rather give that person a swift kick in the rear than tolerate their snarky remarks.)
* After asking your customers how they feel about your work, listen to them. Seriously consider product suggestions, special requests, and even criticism. Taking the time to see things from your buyer’s perspective is essential to becoming successful.
* Be sympathetic to your customer. Instead of becoming defensive or bossy, allow her to feel as though you hear what she has to say, that you understand where she is coming from, and that you sympathize with her situation. Nine times out of ten, this will diffuse any tension and the situation will be resolved peacefully. She just wants to be heard.
* Take an interest in others and what they do. Be supportive in the creative community and don’t be afraid to promote others’ work. Break out of your box and take up a charitable cause and do something for the common good, share helpful tips with others on your blog, participate in a giveaway, or just chit chat with a fellow artist or customer. Even if these things don’t directly relate to sales, making an impact in the lives of others is much more important. I’m a firm believer in reaping what you sow. If you sow kindness and generosity, you will receive it.
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Communication tips taken from Dale Carnegie’s highly recommended book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.
About Mai. Mai McKemy designs jewelry and hair accessories for her store, Woodland Belle, in Asheville, North Carolina. She has been running her business full-time since 2008, and enjoys teaching other creative entrepreneurs ways to be successful.
**Stop by tomorrow for Part 3 of this series, Becoming Influential and Likeable in Business and Life, from Mai…
I see Rachel Austin’s brightly hued landscapes as the perfect art pieces to hang in your office. Common themes include camping, flight, and crisp moments of beauty in nature. I like the paper planes that dance across the scene in her Erwin and Olympia paintings.
Visit Rachel’s Etsy Shop to buy original art pieces and affordable art prints.
The Mod Pieces Shop is run by the talented Lia, who takes great pleasure into creatively upcycling vintage furniture finds. Not content with run-of-the-mill selections, Lia curates her shop with an eye for eclectic color and design. The Mod Pieces Shop is definitely a go-to to find unique pieces for your home.
Check out Mod Pieces and find something fun for your home.
Guest post by Mai of Woodland Belle, as part of a three part (three day) series.
Running a business isn’t merely about making and selling a product. We are dealing with people, and people are complicated. We are engaging in emotions—pride, insecurities, secret motivations—not just their wallets. In order to have a successful, prosperous business, you need the power to influence people. You need skills to communicate effectively, appeal to people’s wants and desires, as well as to mitigate conflicts. Persuading people to like you (and what you do!) will take you far in life—not only will it work with customers and other business connections, but with everyone you know.
(PART ONE)
Finding out what motivates people–what they desire most, is key to getting past their outer defenses. So we must discover…
What motivates people?
1. The desire for importance.
Everyone has the deep desire to be important. We seek significance; we want to know that our actions and opinions matter.
Key Communication Tips
*So, give honest and sincere appreciation. Not flattery, but “…kind words of appreciation that would sing in their memories for years like the music of the morning stars.” (Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People.)
* Everyone secretly thinks that they are superior to you in some way. Recognize/acknowledge those characteristics and strong points with sincere praise.
* We want to act on our own accord and ideas. We don’t want to be “sold” or “told.” We like to be consulted about our wishes, wants, and thoughts. Don’t we love it when someone asks our opinion on a matter? Cater to this desire for importance.
Business Tie-Ins
* There are a lot of amazingly talented individuals out there. Taking the time to appreciate someone else’s work will in no way diminish your own significance. I know that it’s easy to succumb to feelings of insecurity or jealousy when we see someone else’s amazing work, but resist the tendency to feel resentful. Be hearty in your praise and lavish in your appreciation. Find someone’s work to be inspiring? Take a moment to let that person know. It will come back to you, I promise.
*Although most of us will not get to know our customers on a deep enough level to praise them thoroughly, you can still let them know you appreciate them. Go the extra mile in your packaging and presentation. Making their order seem as if it were a gift created especially for them—complete with ribbons, special touches, a hand-written thank you note—will wow them and make them feel valued. They really are worth your time and extra effort.
* Consider how your product will make a consumer feel important. Most people like to feel unique, and what they buy is a reflection of his or her taste and judgment. Does your product answer this need for significance in some way? Are your products thoughtful, original, and well-designed—something that someone would feel unique and special owning, using, or wearing? Will it help someone express their identity?
(As a side note, merely imitating someone else’s style or concepts, or making whatever is popular in order to be successful is not the answer. Each person has their own unique history and artistic vision. Add your distinctive stamp of individuality to your work to stand out in a sea of creative entrepreneurs.)
* Don’t be too “pushy” with your products. Recall that no one likes to be “sold” or “told.” Phrase your product descriptions and direct your marketing in such a way as to invite the customer—appeal to her curiosity, and present your product in a way that will allow her to realize for herself how important your product is. No one appreciates spammy and demanding descriptions (“Buy Now!! Order Today!!”) desperate pleas (“Please buy this, I worked really hard on it”) or blatantly boastful statements (“This is the best product you’ll ever see! I am so awesome and clever to have made this.”)
* Feel free to ask for customer involvement and allow them to contribute to your brand. Don’t you feel important when a company requests that you fill out a survey? Your thoughts and opinions are “valuable” and your participation is “greatly appreciated.” It’s true! I often fill them out even if there’s no reward or benefit—I just like the feeling of being heard. Take the time to ask your customers about themselves, perhaps in the form of a voluntary survey. What do they love? What are they looking for? What’s their favorite ice cream flavor? Be open to product suggestions, requests, and constructive criticism. They will appreciate that you’ve asked for their opinions, and believe me, most will be only too happy to let you know what they think.
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Communication tips taken from Dale Carnegie’s highly recommended book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.
About Mai. Mai McKemy designs jewelry and hair accessories for her store, Woodland Belle, in Asheville, North Carolina. She has been running her business full-time since 2008, and enjoys teaching other creative entrepreneurs ways to be successful.
**Stop by tomorrow for Part 2 of this series, Becoming Influential and Likeable in Business and Life, from Mai…
I miss the days of having a film camera and being able to hold the photographs in my hand rather than clicking through hundreds on my computer. This technique allows me to pick out my favourite digital images and print them in a special and unusual way. The delicate and soft texture of the paper appear so much more beautiful to me than printing images on to regular glossy photo paper.
Another great thing about this technique is that anybody can do it!
Supplies You Will Need: 1. Inkjet Printer 2. A sheet of A4 Mulberry or Handmade Paper 3. Glue Stick 4. Printer Paper
Step by Step Instructions: 1. Firstly scan your image into the computer and save it as a digital file. 2. Next, using a glue stick lightly glue a piece of normal printer paper to the back of your A4 mulberry or handmade paper (both work nicely). 3. Print the image as you would normally but so that it prints on to the sheet of mulberry paper instead. 4. And lastly carefully peel the backing paper off and you will be left with your image on a lovely semi translucent sheet of mulberry paper. If you’re feeling really adventurous you could even add stitch or use it as part of a college. I also really like layering images or text underneath it to add another element to the piece. The possibilities are endless!
Have fun experimenting with printing your photographs on to different surfaces. And for more examples you can visit my blog at www.thecreativediarist.com. I’d love to see what you come up with.
About Helen. Helen Stead is a Mixed Media artist who enjoys experimenting with alternative photography and printing processes. She is inspired by poignant family photographs and creates work that captures the mood and atmosphere of these nostalgic images. You can follow her on her blog The Creative Diarist and on twitter @CreativeDiarist.
For more ideas for quick and easy projects, click here to visit the craft tutorials and diy page filled with more than 50 diy’s. If you like this project, please help us spread the word by using the twitter and facebook buttons below. Thank you so much.
